The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-10
WHO is THE CLAIMANT


Mr. Green Smith invites Colonel Robertson
into the courts to try the title to the office of
Acknowledgements The impudence of the
proposition is about equal to the brutality and
buffoonery of the Pretender at the time he
usurped duty that he had no more right to
discharge than convict from the States
prison. The Democratic United States Sen
ator from this State, in the interest of
Democratic aspirant for the senatorship to be
vacant on the 4th of March next, secured the
appointment by a Democratic President of
the Democratic Lieutenant governor of the
State to a federal position. The Democratic
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS accepted, and thereby
vacated his State Office. The Democratic
Governor of the State then submitted to the
Democratic Attorney general the question
whether there was a vacancy in the
office of Lieutenant governor, and, if so,
whether it should be filled at
the next ensuing general election.
The Democratic Attorney general gave an
opinion that there was vacancy, and that it
should be filed at the November election. The
Democratic State convention, presided over bv
the Democratic United States Senator, Daniel
w. Voorhees,. with the editor of the Democratic
State organ, the Sentinel, acting as secretary,
nominated John G.. Nelson as a candidate for
the office thus declared to be vacant Every
Democrat in the convention voted for Mr.
Nelson, and Mr.. Green Smith publicly in
dorsed the nomination, and pledged his
support to the nominee. From that day until
the night of the day OF the election
nota Democrat anywhere in the State of Ind-
ana uttered a syllable against the regularity
and validity of the proceeding in which they
were engaged On the day of election all the
Democrats in the State, who voted for other
candidates. voted for Mr. Nelson
The Republican State convention, meeting
three weeks after the Democratic convention.
accepted the action of the Democratic
officers and party as taken in good faith, and
nominated Robert S. Robertson as their can
didate for the Office Of Lieutenant-co governor
The National and Prohibition parties NOM
mated their candidates, and on the day of
the election the people passed upon the valid
ity of the proceeding by casting nearly 500, 900
ballots for candidates for the vacant office
Colonel Robertson received a legal plurality
of the large vote, and not until that fact was
discovered by the returns was there whisper
of irregularity or unconstitutionality. But
then pack Of desperate Democratic rincsters
got together and entered into a conspiracy to
steal the office and defraud the people, put
ting forward their willing tool in the person
of Green Smith.
Smith thus became aClaimant He attempt
ed to use the courts as a means to further
his claim to the Office. In this he failed; but
on Thursday, by virtue of the brutal impu-
dence of his nature, the willing comnlaisance
OF Democratic senatorial majority to 90 into
the conspiracy, and by the abandonment of
his statutory duty on the part of the Auditor
of State, Green Smith attempted to assert his
title to the office by force and revolution.
But the conspirators and revolutionists knew
they were engaged in a. high crime against
the law and the people, and SO they proceeded
to "elect" the wculd-be office-stealer to the
chair he had usurped.
To-day Robert S. Robertson will be declared
elected to the office of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
and he will be indicted into that office. He
will take it, fortified by every muniment of
title possessed by any man who ever held the
place before him. He has been elected bv the
due and orderly process Of the Constitution
and the laws, and by the due and orderly pro
cess of the Constitution and laws he will as
sumo the Office to which he has been chosen.
What has Colonel Robertson to 90 into the
courts for? He is not Claimant" to the
office; be will be in actual possession of it
after he takes the oath to-day If anyone
fancies his title is not good let the man 90
into the courts to test that question, if he can.
If anybody, Green Smith or any other of the
gang, wants to steal the Office from him. and
thinks he can do it through the courts, let